


I knew the tights meant something

by QueenofSchmoop



Category: Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
Genre: AU of "Fly Hard", Homophobic Language, M/M, Season/Series 01, Season/Series 01 Spoilers, Spoilers for "Fly Hard"
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-12
Updated: 2016-07-12
Packaged: 2018-07-23 01:46:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7461780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenofSchmoop/pseuds/QueenofSchmoop
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Taking an AU turn in the episode Fly Hard, what if Jack had seen Clark catch that bullet on the stairwell?  And things went from there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I knew the tights meant something

**Author's Note:**

> I do not know how old Jack was meant to be on the show but I’m assuming he was at least 18 by the time we met him, since his brother was sent to foster care when rescued and he wasn’t. I've chosen to see (and write) him as such.   
> Also, we never found out where he lived so I’m making that up too.

Jack watched as the man on the stairwell shot for the light and it flickered. Just enough, then it came back on as Clark Kent caught the bullet. Clark zoomed down and slammed the guy against the wall, then punched him out.

Jack stood, frozen. Clark came back up the stairs and shook him.

“Jack, are you all right? Are you hurt?”

“No.” He shook his head, then looked at the hand on him. “You caught that bullet.”

“Of course not,” Clark scoffed and began to hustle him up the stairs.

“I saw you.”

“I’m sure it looked like--”

Jack interrupted him. “I _saw _you. And that means,” he paused as Clark opened a door, “you’re Superman.”__

__Clark looked around and then back at his young friend. “That’s crazy. If I were Superman why wouldn’t I have stopped those men?”_ _

__“You had to protect your secret,” Jack half mused to himself. “This double life.” He shook his head. “Why are you living like a human? You could be Superman all the time!”_ _

__“Jack-” but they were interrupted as Willie the guard came around. They told him the plan and they went back downstairs. Eventually they took care of the crooks, all but the one who took Lois. Jack went running after Clark, to the roof._ _

__“Call the police!” Clark told him and pushed him back._ _

__“No, I’m with you!”_ _

__Clark didn’t have time to argue as Lois and the kidnapper went over the ledge. As they fell, he jumped off, following them down, stopping only long enough to change into the ‘suit’._ _

__When Clark had a chance, he looked up and saw no one on the top of the Planet building._ _

__A while later the group came out. After talking with Lois and watching her go off with Lex Luthor in the ambulance, Jack stepped in his way._ _

__“I should have known. Now that I think about it, it all makes perfect sense. I was blind-no, a person would have to be galactically stupid not to see it! Fooled by a pair of glasses?!”_ _

__“Jack, I’m flattered, really--”_ _

__“It’s cool.” Jack smiled. “I won’t tell anyone. I can keep a secret. You of all people should know that, Clark.”_ _

__Clark was about to speak again when the cops came to take Jack’s statement. In parting, Jack called out, “You still owe me a movie, you know!”_ _

___2 Days later ____ _

____“Jack?”_ _ _ _

____“Just a sec!” Jack unlocked the door and opened it. “Clark. Hey, man.”_ _ _ _

____Clark gestured. “Can I come in?”_ _ _ _

____“Sure, if you don’t mind the mess.” He stood aside to let Clark in and then bent to pick up some dirty clothes and shove them in a corner. “It’s small and dirty but it’s a place.”_ _ _ _

____Clark nodded, having made sure that Jack had found a room when he got him the job at the Planet. It was a step up from the streets, anyway._ _ _ _

____“Look, Jack, I wanted to talk to you about the other day.”_ _ _ _

____“I know. I wish there was a way I could assure you that I won’t tell. I just have to hope that you’d trust me.”_ _ _ _

____Clark shook his head. “I do trust you, Jack, it’s just that you’re wrong.”_ _ _ _

____Jack smiled. “Listen. I know what I saw. Nothing you can say or do could convince me you’re just a guy. I know who you are, Clark. It’s okay, though. I promise.”_ _ _ _

____Clark could see he wasn’t going to convince him. So they went to the movie as they had planned. It was an old black and white and there were few people there. They sat near the back and passed a tub of popcorn back and forth, Jack occasionally sipping his drink._ _ _ _

____Clark noticed that every once in a while Jack would glance at him or even stare and then look away. Finally he turned._ _ _ _

____“Jack? Do I have something on my face?”_ _ _ _

____“What? No. Why?" It came out quick and nervous._ _ _ _

____“You keep looking at me.”_ _ _ _

____“Sorry.” Jack focused on the screen for a few seconds, then turned and burst out. “It’s just so amazing!”_ _ _ _

____Clark smiled. “What is?”_ _ _ _

____“You. You look so…human. I mean, I know you’re not, I know you’re an alien,” the look that Clark shot around the theater to make sure this was not overheard wasn’t even noticed by Jack, “but you just look like a guy. An ordinary man.” Clark watched as Jack’s hand came up and hovered over his face. “I’ve touched you and you feel human too.”_ _ _ _

____“Jack?”_ _ _ _

____The hand descended onto Clark’s cheek and the pads of Jack’s fingers rubbed gently. “Feels human. Feels real.” He murmured._ _ _ _

____“I am real,” Clark assured him. “As for the other…,” another nervous glance around told him that the only other patrons in the theater--an elderly couple--had left. That was when Clark noticed Jack was still touching his face. More like caressing. “Jack?”_ _ _ _

____Jack didn’t notice. As if mesmerized, the hand slipping down, the fingertips brushing against Clark’s lips. “I overheard Lois talking one day about kissing Superman. She said something about a ‘superkiss’ and how nothing would ever compare again.” Jack leaned in._ _ _ _

____When he got very close Clark put a hand on Jack’s chest and held him still. “Whoa! Jack, what are you doing?!”_ _ _ _

____As if snapped out of it, Jack reared back. He flushed bright red and pulled his hand away as if burned. “Sorry! Sorry. I just…” he mumbled something and then made as if to stand but then sat down again quickly._ _ _ _

____“Jack?”_ _ _ _

____Silence._ _ _ _

____Clark waited him out._ _ _ _

____“What?!” Jack finally yelled. “What do you want to hear? That I’m gay? Cause I am. It’s part of the reason I kept getting kicked out of foster homes. No one wants a gay kid. And that I have a crush on you? You want to hear that too?! Well, there it is. I have a crush on you. Have since the day you put that jacket on me, the day we met.” Jack laughed, tinged with bitterness. “Want to hear the really funny thing? I had a crush on you as Clark. I thought Lois was a bit of a loony for liking Superman. I wondered why she didn’t like you, like _Clark _instead. I thought…,” he trailed off, nearly bent double.___ _ _ _

______There was a long silence and then, “I didn’t know.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“Well now you do.” Jack stood and kept his back to him. “But don’t worry. I know you like Lois. I just slipped was all. I’m sorry for that. I won’t do it again.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“Jack--”_ _ _ _ _ _

______But Jack took off, nearly running out of the theater. He made it halfway down the block and then let out an “oof!” noise as he ran into something very solid. He looked up at Clark’s very solid chest. “How…?” Then he rolled his eyes and nodded. "Right. Never mind. Look, if you’re going to hit me, just not the face?”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“I’m not going to hit you. But I do think we need to talk.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Jack sighed but followed Clark to a cab and back to Clark’s apartment. They sat down on the couch._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Jack, I’m very flattered that you like me but you know nothing can come of it, right?”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“I know. You like Lois. Which I guess I get,” he said in a tone that was obviously dubious._ _ _ _ _ _

______“It’s not just that. There are other factors.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“Like that you’re not gay.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“I’m not but I,” here Clark paused and then admitted something only one other person knew, “have experimented in the past.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“Really?” Jack sounded surprised._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Really. When I was a teenager. And that brings me to the most important--”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“Oh that’s the big sticking point? I’m a kid?” Jack stood and waved his arms around. “I may be young in years but I lived a lot of time on the streets.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“I know that you’re streetwise, Jack, but you are still a teenager.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“And you’re an alien.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“That’s another thing.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“Look, I get it. I told you, I’m fine with it. You and I are never--I mean, nothing’s going to happen. I get it. I do I’m sorry I weirded you out.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“You didn’t. Though you did surprise me.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Jack turned and looked back at the man still sitting on the couch. “What? You think you’re the only one with secrets?”_ _ _ _ _ _

______They looked at each other and then laughed together. Jack sat back down and they talked for a bit, mostly about Jack growing up gay and all. He told stories and Clark listened. Soon, they got hungry again and Clark ordered a pizza. They sat and talked and it got late._ _ _ _ _ _

______“I should be heading home,” Jack said, looking out the window._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Why don’t you stay? There’s plenty of room on the couch.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Jack smiled softly. “You don’t have to show that you’re cool with your fag friend, Clark.” He saw Clark frown at the word. “I’m one so I can use it.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“I still don’t like you referring to yourself that way.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Jack let out a sound like a laugh. “Always the boy scout, eh? I’ll go. I can walk.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Clark stopped arguing, knowing the headstrong boy would get upset. Instead he walked Jack to the door but didn’t open it. “You sure you’re going to be all right?”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“I’ll be fine. And if not, you’ll come save me, won’t you?”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Clark smiled. “Count on it.” They stood there for a long moment and then Jack went to leave, turning abruptly back._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Clark?”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“Yes?”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“Can I--? I mean, would you…?”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Clark stood there, waiting patiently._ _ _ _ _ _

______“I know I don’t have any right to ask this but please, just this one time. Will you kiss me?”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“Jack,” Clark started to say in a somewhat dismayed voice._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Clark. All I’m asking for is a kiss. Just one little kiss. That’s all.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“I can’t.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Jack’s expression changed. “Yeah, whatever.” He threw open the door. “See ya around.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______He was halfway out the door when Clark grabbed him. Pushing him up against the wall, he actually sounded angry. “Is that what this is all about? Getting a kiss from me?”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“No!” Jack shoved at him but of course it was like pushing at steel. “I just thought…Never mind what I thought. It was stupid. _I _was stupid. Now let me go.”___ _ _ _ _ _

________There was a bit of tussle and they ended up nearly falling down the stairs, until Clark picked Jack up in his arms and held him aloft as he zoomed back down the steps. They stood there, Jack still within the circle of Clark’s arms, Jack breathing a little heavy. Clark looked as unfazed as ever._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________They stared at each other and then, when it felt like the tension might snap, Clark closed his eyes for a brief second. “All right. You win.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________At first Jack looked perplexed but then a grin quickly crossed his face, one which he suppressed at Clark’s look._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Just a kiss. One.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Jack nodded then waited. Clark took a deep breath then bent his head slightly and brushed his lips against Jack’s. He pulled back quickly, as if burned. Jack stood there for a second or two longer then looked at the Man of Steel._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“That was it?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“Yeah." Clark adjusted his glasses._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Jack raised his eyebrows. “That’s what Lois was raving about?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Clark shook his head. “That’s not how I kissed Lois. That was…different.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“And you think that’s enough for me? C’mon Superman,” Jack teased, “how about a real kiss?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Another moment of stillness then Clark muttered, “You asked for it.” He pulled off his glasses, caught Jack up in a whirlwind embrace and laid an open-mouthed, passionate kiss on him. For a moment all Jack could do was hang on, then he wrapped his arms-- _no, his entire body _\--around Clark, pressing as close as he could, totally surrendering to the kiss.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________As the fervent kiss ended and Clark removed his mouth, Jack let out a little exhale of breath. He opened dazed eyes and looked up. When he could speak he said, “now that was a superkiss!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Clark couldn’t help the burst of laughter that came out of him, nor the tug on his heart at Jack looking so pleased and tousled. A very quick glance down told him the kiss had…had an effect. On both of them._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“No, really. Thanks Clark.” Jack darted in, gave Clark a quick hug then took off up the stairs at a fast pace. Clark thought about catching him but let him go. He stood there, and replayed the kiss in his mind, then went to shut the door, a thoughtful expression on his face._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________End_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


End file.
